Memorandum of Understanding and Mutual Support

By and Between Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Chippewa

And Department of Public Instruction

This Memorandum of Understanding and Mutual Support (hereinafter referred to as the “MOU”) is effective as of January 4, 2018, and is entered into by and between the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of , 13394 West Trepania Road, Hayward, WI 54876 and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 125 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 5370-7841 for the purpose of addressing issues of mutual interest to the parties regarding the education of school- age members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

RECITALS:

Whereas, the issues of mutual interest include promoting positive perceptions and improving the nature and scope of interactions between the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; and,

Whereas, the intention of this MOU is to provide a framework for respectful and cooperative communication that utilizes consensus building for improving programs and services; and,

Whereas, the primary outcome intended by this MOU is to improve the planning, communication, and coordination between the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa regarding programs affecting the education of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal members; and,

Whereas, the parties intend to clarify their relationship to establish a common understanding regarding their roles, responsibilities, and procedures that will facilitate best practices between our agencies; and,

Whereas, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, under the supervision of the state superintendent, has authority under the Wisconsin Constitution to oversee public education in the state; and,

Whereas, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is a sovereign nation overseeing the education of their tribal members; and,

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Whereas, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will maintain a commitment to engaging students in both public and traditional cultural education, including the implementation of building language fluency rates, training language teachers, working with the staff at Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion School on a language revitalization strategic plan, holding regular community Language Tables built from Immersion Language Camp weekends, and keeping an updated inventory of both available Ojibwe language resources and resources identified that may be needed in the future; and

Whereas, both the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction have a responsibility for the provision of education to school- age tribal members, it is critical to the quality of services that staff and representatives from the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction understand and consult with one another to ensure that needed services are provided in an efficient, timely, culturally appropriate, and effective manner; and,

Whereas, representatives of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction have met on multiple occasions to discuss matters affecting quality education and issues of mutual concern to the parties.

Therefore, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction hereby resolve and agree they will mutually support and adhere to the following principles, and exert their best efforts in doing so.

I. Parties

Louis Taylor, Chairman Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 13394 West Trepania Road Hayward, WI 54876 (715) 634-893

Tony Evers, State Superintendent Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 125 South Webster Street Madison, WI 53707-7841 (608) 266-1212 [email protected]

II. Meetings and Consultation A. Participation and Use. Either party can initiate a request for a meeting. Both parties agree to meet as needed, minimally one time each year in a face to face setting, in a time or place mutually agreed to by both parties, to identify issues of mutual concern, discuss strategies and work to address identified issues, and seek resolution at the local level where possible, to provide key contacts to advance work moving forward within the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

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Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to host a yearly meeting for all education directors and the leadership of each of the tribal nations in Wisconsin.

B. Designation of Contacts. The Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa agrees to identify primary contacts to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to do the same on all issues identified in this agreement.

III. Communications The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to provide the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa with access to the same departmental listservs, social media, and published materials provided to public school districts.

IV. Cultural Awareness Training The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction commits to providing ongoing cultural awareness training to all of its staff to ensure improved communication, service, and understanding in working with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and serving tribal students.

Through its American Indian Studies Program established within the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction via Wisconsin Act 31 to support school districts’ efforts to provide instruction in Wisconsin American Indian history, culture, and tribal sovereignty, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is committed to statewide trainings and technical assistance to school districts and the development and dissemination of resources and materials to ensure best practices and quality in teaching and learning about the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the eleven federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities in the state of Wisconsin.

V. Issues A. Increase Cultural Awareness and Understanding of the Tribal Nation The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to disseminate effective American Indian Studies curricula to local school districts per Wisconsin Act 31.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction further agrees to advocate with local school districts in the Lac Courte Oreilles area and professional associations representing educators to increase culturally responsive practices and provide technical assistance and additional background to support local school districts serving the Lac Courte Oreilles community in tribal culture, traditions, government, and sovereignty

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B. Intergovernmental Cooperation The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to determine if any matters of mutual concern need to brought forward to other state agencies.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction further commits to providing technical supports to the local school districts serving the Lac Courte Oreille community on constructing agreements with the Lac Courte Oreille Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

C. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa agree to coordinate around tribal and state goals and educational plans under ESSA as there is a historical gap between native and non- native students that needs to be addressed. Closing achievement gaps and graduation gaps will be a high priority between Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the tribe. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction commits to providing technical support to the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and local school districts serving their students to meet tribal and state goals.

D. Charter School Supports The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to provide technical assistance to the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College around charter school operations and management and to support educational efforts to close achievement gaps for American Indian students.

E. Special Education The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will provide technical assistance to the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa around the appropriate identification of students for special education services and information on 504 plans administered by the United States Department of Education.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will collaborate with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa regarding factors affecting speech and language identification, the impact of heritage language on language acquisition, and work being done around English language acquisition.

F. Trauma Informed Care. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will provide access to any educational opportunities around trauma-informed care available to school districts with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and will make local schools serving the Lac Courte Oreilles community aware of available technical assistance and advocate for joint initiatives between the tribe and local districts serving the Lac Courte Oreilles community

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G. Assessments The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will convene staff to meet with tribal representatives to discuss the feasibility of offering tests in the Ojibwe language.

H. Educational Supports The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to address educational disparities that impact American Indian students in Wisconsin and explore the availability of additional programmatic supports.

I. Traditional Foods The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is committed to utilizing traditional foods within head start, schools, and community nutrition programs serving students who are members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and will work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to address how this may best be accomplished and share technical assistance with those programs.

J. Educational Data The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will assist the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa with technical assistance and support to access data for tribal use to improve educational quality for its tribal citizens, taking into account privacy laws.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to determine the feasibility of a report card for the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe school.

K. Tribal School Access The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction agrees to examine access to educational programming and technical supports by tribal schools.

L. Truancy Prevention

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on best practices to address truancy prevention and identify any available technical assistance and supports.

M. Pupil Nondiscrimination The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will work with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to examine pupil nondiscrimination data, rules, and procedures to ensure compliance with the law.

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VI. Term and Termination A. The initial term of this MOU shall be a period of three (3) years, commencing on the effective date set forth above. Thereafter, this MOU shall be reviewed by the parties, who may choose to amend or extend the agreement.

B. During the initial term and any renewal terms, this MOU may be terminated by either party upon sixty (60) days advance written notice to the other party. By such termination, no party may nullify obligations incurred prior to the effective date of termination. The sixty (60) days notice requirement may be waived by mutual written consent of the parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this MOU on the date shown below, to be effective as of the date signed. The signatories hereto personally represent that this MOU is executed pursuant to legal authorization by the organizations on behalf of which they are signing.

Lac Courte Oreilles BAND OF LAKE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Signed Date Signed Date

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